U.S. troops led the investigation of the site of a suicide car bombing and a gunfight near the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/13/world/asia/us-consulate-afghanistan-attack/index.html?hpt=hp_t2">U.S. consulate in Herat, Afghanistan</a>, on Friday, September 13. Taliban militants attacked the consulate using a car bomb and guns to battle security forces just outside the compound. An intercepted al Qaeda message led to the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/04/politics/us-embassies-close/index.html">closing of 22 embassies and consulates</a> across the Middle East and North Africa on August 4. Take a look at other attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites in recent years.
Photos: Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
U.S. troops led the investigation of the site of a suicide car bombing and a gunfight near the U.S. consulate in Herat, Afghanistan, on Friday, September 13. Taliban militants attacked the consulate using a car bomb and guns to battle security forces just outside the compound. An intercepted al Qaeda message led to the closing of 22 embassies and consulates across the Middle East and North Africa on August 4. Take a look at other attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites in recent years.
Hoshang Hashimi/ap
A suicide bomb goes off at the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/01/world/europe/turkey-embassy-explosion/index.html">U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey,</a> on February 1. A security guard was killed and a journalist was wounded in the attack. The Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front, or DHKP-C, took responsibility for the bombing.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
A suicide bomb goes off at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, on February 1. A security guard was killed and a journalist was wounded in the attack. The Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front, or DHKP-C, took responsibility for the bombing.
YAVUZ OZDEN/AFP/Getty Images
Demonstrators set the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/09/world/africa/libya-benghazi-timeline/index.html">U.S. Consulate compound in Benghazi, Libya,</a> on fire on September 11, 2012. The U.S. ambassador and three other U.S. nationals were killed during the attack.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
Demonstrators set the U.S. Consulate compound in Benghazi, Libya, on fire on September 11, 2012. The U.S. ambassador and three other U.S. nationals were killed during the attack.
STR/AFP/Getty Images/File
People flee the scene of a Taliban attack on the <a href="http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/13/u-s-embassy-in-afghanistan-attacked-taliban-claims-responsibility/">U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan,</a> on September 13, 2011. Three police officers and one civilian were killed. There were no reports of U.S. casualties.
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People flee the scene of a Taliban attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, on September 13, 2011. Three police officers and one civilian were killed. There were no reports of U.S. casualties.
Kuni Takahashi/Getty Images
Officials examine the aftermath of a terrorist attack outside the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/04/05/pakistan.blast/index.html">U.S. Consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan,</a> on April 5, 2010. The coordinated attack involved a vehicle suicide bomb and attackers who tried to enter the consulate by using grenades and weapons fire. Two consulate security guards and at least six others were killed.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
Officials examine the aftermath of a terrorist attack outside the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan, on April 5, 2010. The coordinated attack involved a vehicle suicide bomb and attackers who tried to enter the consulate by using grenades and weapons fire. Two consulate security guards and at least six others were killed.
A Majeed/AFP/Getty Images
Yemeni soldiers carry the coffin of a comrade during a funeral on September 25, 2008, in Sanaa. Heavily armed fighters attacked the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/09/17/yemen.blast/index.html">U.S. Embassy in Yemen</a> on September 17. A car bomb was detonated, killing 10 Yemeni police and civilians and six attackers.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
Yemeni soldiers carry the coffin of a comrade during a funeral on September 25, 2008, in Sanaa. Heavily armed fighters attacked the U.S. Embassy in Yemen on September 17. A car bomb was detonated, killing 10 Yemeni police and civilians and six attackers.
KHALED FAZAA/AFP/Getty Images
Relatives of slain police officers are comforted during a funeral in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 10, 2008, a day after the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7497049.stm" target="_blank" target="_blank">U.S. Consulate there </a>was attacked. Three police officers and three attackers were killed in what the American ambassador to the country called "an obvious act of terrorism" aimed at the U.S.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
Relatives of slain police officers are comforted during a funeral in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 10, 2008, a day after the U.S. Consulate there was attacked. Three police officers and three attackers were killed in what the American ambassador to the country called "an obvious act of terrorism" aimed at the U.S.
BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images
A bomb squad team collects evidence at a construction site where a rocket was launched near the <a href="http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1577262,00.html#ixzz1XpywafjU" target="_blank" target="_blank">U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece,</a> on January 12, 2007. The anti-tank missile tore through the embassy, but there were no injuries.
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A bomb squad team collects evidence at a construction site where a rocket was launched near the U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece, on January 12, 2007. The anti-tank missile tore through the embassy, but there were no injuries.
ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images
A car exploded near the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/09/12/syria.embassy/index.html">U.S. Embassy in Damascus, Syria,</a> on September 12, 2006. Fourteen people were wounded. Syrian authorities killed three attackers and apprehended a suspect outside the building.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
A car exploded near the U.S. Embassy in Damascus, Syria, on September 12, 2006. Fourteen people were wounded. Syrian authorities killed three attackers and apprehended a suspect outside the building.
SANA via Getty Images
A U.S. diplomat and his driver were among at least four people killed on March 2, 2006, in an apparent suicide attack outside the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/03/01/karachi.blast/index.html">U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan</a>.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
A U.S. diplomat and his driver were among at least four people killed on March 2, 2006, in an apparent suicide attack outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan.
ASIF HASSAN/AFP/Getty Images
An attack on the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/12/06/jeddah.attack/index.html">U.S. Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,</a> killed nine people on December 7, 2004. A Saudi group linked to al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
An attack on the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, killed nine people on December 7, 2004. A Saudi group linked to al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack.
STR/AFP/Getty Images
A Pakistani police officer stands guard outside the <a href="http://articles.cnn.com/2003-02-28/world/karachi.shooting_1_consulate-compound-bomb-attack-karachi">U.S. Consulate in Karachi</a> after a gunman opened fire there on February 28, 2003. Two police officers were killed, and six others, including one civilian, were injured.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
A Pakistani police officer stands guard outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi after a gunman opened fire there on February 28, 2003. Two police officers were killed, and six others, including one civilian, were injured.
Syed Zargham/Getty Images
Family members of a victim who was killed by a bomb a day earlier embrace at a hospital in Denpasar, Bali, on October 14, 2002. A series of bombs killed more than 200 people at nightclubs while another attack occurred near the<a href="http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/12/bali.blast/"> U.S. Consulate on the Indonesian tourist island</a>. Authorities believe the attacks were coordinated.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
Family members of a victim who was killed by a bomb a day earlier embrace at a hospital in Denpasar, Bali, on October 14, 2002. A series of bombs killed more than 200 people at nightclubs while another attack occurred near the U.S. Consulate on the Indonesian tourist island. Authorities believe the attacks were coordinated.
CHOO YOUN-KONG/AFP/Getty Images
A previously unknown militant group called Al-Qanoon claimed responsibility for a bombing that killed 10 people at the <a href="http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/south/06/14/karachi.blast/index.html">U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan,</a> on June 14, 2002. The U.S. State Department says it suspects al Qaeda is responsible.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
A previously unknown militant group called Al-Qanoon claimed responsibility for a bombing that killed 10 people at the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, on June 14, 2002. The U.S. State Department says it suspects al Qaeda is responsible.
Visual News/Getty Images
Police officers stand next to the body of a victim after a car bomb exploded on March 20, 2002, at a shopping center near the <a href="http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/americas/03/21/peru.embassy.blast/">U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru,</a> killing nine people.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
Police officers stand next to the body of a victim after a car bomb exploded on March 20, 2002, at a shopping center near the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru, killing nine people.
Anibal Solimano/Getty Images
Christopher Sandrolini, the U.S. consul general in Calcutta, speaks with Indian officials outside the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1774483.stm" target="_blank" target="_blank">U.S. government information center in Calcutta</a>, near the U.S. Consulate, where heavily armed gunmen killed five Indian police officers on January 22, 2002.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
Christopher Sandrolini, the U.S. consul general in Calcutta, speaks with Indian officials outside the U.S. government information center in Calcutta, near the U.S. Consulate, where heavily armed gunmen killed five Indian police officers on January 22, 2002.
Bivas Banerjee/Saab Press/Getty Images
Rescue workers stand on the remains of a building in front of the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/africa/9808/08/africa.explosions.01/">U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya,</a> on August 10, 1998, four days after a deadly attack. Twelve Americans were among more than 200 people killed in nearly simultaneous bombings at U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
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Rescue workers stand on the remains of a building in front of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, on August 10, 1998, four days after a deadly attack. Twelve Americans were among more than 200 people killed in nearly simultaneous bombings at U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, center, walks past the damaged <a href="http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/africa/9808/08/africa.explosions.01/">U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam</a> on August 18, 1998. The August 7 attacks in Tanzania and Kenya were later attributed to al Qaeda.
Attacks on U.S. diplomatic sites —
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, center, walks past the damaged U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam on August 18, 1998. The August 7 attacks in Tanzania and Kenya were later attributed to al Qaeda.
ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images